Publication of the 98th issue of the LIP

The latest issue of the quarterly newsletter for Institut Pasteur donors – the "Lettre de l'Institut Pasteur" (LIP) – contains a special feature on the two most widespread neurodegenerative diseases in France, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Expectations for a breakthrough in treating these diseases have never been higher.

Alzheimer's and Parkinson's affect nearly 900,000 and 200,000 people respectively in France. Given the aging population, the numbers affected by these age-related conditions will only continue to rise – by 2020, some 1.3 million individuals could suffer from Alzheimer's disease.

So how much do we actually know about the diseases today? Recent progress in knowledge about the brain's capacity to produce new neurons – based on research by Institut Pasteur scientists – has already given rise to a series of guidelines (avoiding routine, fostering social links, etc.) that will help stimulate the brain. This new feature also presents several promising avenues currently being explored by Institut Pasteur teams with the aim of developing effective approaches to treat neurodegenerative diseases in the future.

Access the 98th issue of the LIP (in french)